Hilltop Hoods
24th July 2019
The Studio, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by James Edwards. Photography by Richard Myburgh.
I will be the first to admit that I haven’t been with Hilltop Hoods since their humble beginnings in 1994. I clicked onto them only a few years ago, but I liked what I heard.
And judging by the huge and boisterous crowd last night that packed into The Studio ready to throw down like it was already the weekend, so did hundreds of others. The Australian trio of Suffa, Pressure and DJ Debris no doubt pulling in a few more fans with their solid new album The Great Expanse.
Squeezing in amongst it all, vibes were high as fans pointed out to each other the drum kit taking up centre position; I must admit it got my tastebuds watering as well as there is nothing better than hip-hop with some live instrumentation to take it to that next level. Turns out that not only did we get a live drummer but a fantastic back-up singer for many of the tracks as well. Hell of a way to start the tour boys!
Early hitters like ‘Nosebleed Section’, the larger than life ‘I Love It’ and ‘Exit Sign’ from their new album got the pace going and kept it going. In all honesty the whole show just felt like one big party from start to finish, Suffa and Pressure the ultimate hosts as they bounced up and down the stage like they were back opening for Eminem again.
It’s that kinda tenacity that keeps their fans close; DJ Debris working the decks, Suffa and Pressure working the stage, the three totally cohesive while making it look all so easy at the same time. That’s what not only years of being together, but a couple of decades of hard work will get you. The ability to bring a venue to life with the greatest of ease.
‘Be Yourself’ was anthemic, some older tracks such as ‘Won’t Let You Down’ and ‘Live & Let Go’ from 2014’s Walking Under Stars eliciting some impressive rapping from members of the audience. Going back further into the discography files ‘Still Standing’ and ‘Chase That Feeling’ from 2009’s State of the Art was brilliant to hear live as was ‘Rattling the Keys to the Kingdom’.
Sure, one could argue that the style of the older tracks is rather dated now in the hip-hop realms; but isn’t that the whole point of nostalgia? To bring back those memories and feelings of joy from your youth (which ok, was not that long ago for me…but still). It brings to a room a certain form of atmosphere that bands who have only been around for less than a decade just can’t copy – despite how many covers of old classics they might throw in.
Suffa and Pressure haven’t lost anything to time. With more energy than I think I have on most days, they proved they still have what it takes to go another decade with ease. And frankly, they just seem like really decent guys. If you didn’t already know, they are donating all of the profits from their sold-out Christchurch show on the 27th of July to the ‘Our People, Our City’ fund.
Great music coupled with good people. No complaints here at all.
Were you there at The Tuning Fork for this classic hip hop gig? Or have you seen Hilltop Hoods perform somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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